Kinds in Need of Dentistry provides dental care to Denver children

On any given day, there’s a good chance you’ll walk into a school in the Denver metro area and encounter Kids in Need of Dentistry staff who provide free dental care and teach kids how to care for their teeth — even those who can get there in minutes fall out. year.

For more than 100 years, KIND has worked with local children and families to remove barriers to oral care. The organization provides dental care to nearly 6,000 children annually, including free dental exams and fluoride and molar treatments at more than 100 schools in the Denver area. the Chopper Topper program.

In addition, the organization serves approximately 700 children as regular patients two oral care centersproviding care to uninsured and low-income families at competitive discounts.

“What we’re trying to do here is build a lifetime of good oral health habits,” says Erin Breen, director of development at KIND. “It’s not just about that visit or collecting the fees. Every appointment is an opportunity to get that little life on a good health path.”

Dental health is often one of the first things to be pushed aside when finances keep families from getting health care, says Lisa Phillips, KIND board chair and a pediatric dentist in Westminster.

“What KIND does is create this culture of dental education with families who may not believe they can do that for their children,” Phillips said.

KIND, a recipient of a Denver Post Season To Share grant, aims to bring oral health care back to the forefront and address common misconceptions about dental health in children, Breen said.

“Some people think it doesn’t require any care because they’re just baby teeth and they fall out,” says Breen. “People often have so many barriers and things to get through, that’s something they tell themselves so they don’t have to worry about it.”

But neglected teeth affect health at any age, and cavities in baby teeth can still rot into the bone, Breen said.